Body found of Iowa teen pulled into sewer

Jul. 2, 2014
|

The Cedar River rises into Exchange Park Saturday, June 21, 2014, in Waterloo, Iowa, about an hour from Cedar Rapids, where a teen is missing after being swept away in a storm drain. / TIFFANY RUSHING AP

by Regina Zilbermints, The Des Moines Register

by Regina Zilbermints, The Des Moines Register

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The body of a 17-year-old swept into a storm sewer Monday was found shortly Tuesday in Cedar Lake, Iowa, officials said.

Logan Blake was playing Frisbee with his friends Monday when a rush of water pushed him down into a storm sewer. Volunteers searched overnight and again Tuesday morning.

The teen's body was found in 3 feet of water about 75 yards from the lake's shore, officials said. Fire and rescue crews who had been searching for the boy found the body.

A chaplain who spoke at a brief news conference, described Blake "as a great kid."

"This is devastating news, not only for his family and fellow students but for the community as well," said Jim Coyle, a chaplain with Cedar Rapids fire and police departments and a pastor at the family's church.

He said the family was asking for their privacy as they grieved the loss of the teen.

A friend, David Bliss, 17, tried to rescue Blake but also was swept into the drain. A third teen flagged down a passing driver to call 911, officials said.

Bliss was carried more than a mile through the sewer system and came out in Cedar Lake. He walked several blocks to a local hospital and officials said his injuries were not life-threatening.

On Tuesday, a search effort with more than 100 first responders and volunteers continued looking for Blake.

A boat with sonar searched Cedar Lake as a dive team stood ready to go in if needed.

A search and rescue team lifted manhole covers along the pipe's path and lowered people in. A public works crew used a camera to explore the sewer system.

And dozens of volunteers walked around the lake and along the path leading from Arthur Elementary School to the lake in the hopes that Blake had somehow gotten out.

Storms dumped a reported 5 inches of water in parts of Cedar Rapids and 4 feet of water was being pulled through drain pipes late Monday.

The storm drain where Blake went in is about 54 inches in diameter but the pipe expands to about 10 feet. There could be up to 67,000 gallons of water per minute flowing through the pipe, officials said.